Summary
One of the Switch’s best games wasSuper Mario Odyssey,which gaveMariodozens of costumes to dress up in. These costumes were cosmetic in nature and were fun to collect, and it seems like Nintendo took this idea and ran with it when they developedMario Kart World.
There are numerous characters to unlock in the game, and most of them come with accompanying costumes.Mario has some of the wildest costumes inMario Kart World,ranging from original ideas to callbacks to earlier titles. Let’s go throughMario’s best looks inMario Kart Worldand rank them according to how well-designed they are, and see whether or not Mario could win in a fashion contest on the track in them.
7Pro Racer
A Famicom Classic
ThePro Raceroutfit can be found by picking up food in Crown City, which is a new track inMario Kart World. The Pro Racer getup could be a reference to the3D Hot Rallygame cover, specifically theJapanese NES or Famicom version, which features Mario and Luigi in similar outfits.
Mario looks ready inMario Kart Worldto go all out in his racing, and the back of his jacket has a nice nod to him being number one. There is a similar suit in the game called All-Terrain, but it doesn’t look as fun and makes Mario look more like he is ready for combat.
6Touring
Ready To Brawl
TheTouringoutfit will probably be the first costume that players unlock by grabbing food on the Mario Bros. Circuit. That’s because this new course is the first one that appears in the Mushroom Cup circuit.
Mario looks like he is ready to brawl in this outfit with his fingerless gloves and cool jacket, or he looks like he is ready to take Peach out on the town. The back of the jacketfeatures aBlue Shell, one ofMario Kart’smore infamous items that is just as deadly inMario Kart World.
5Mechanic
Rotating Tires With The Best Of Them
TheMechanicoutfit can be found by grabbing a bite to eat in Dry Bones Burnout, a new track that is challenging to navigate due to the extensive lava surrounding the area.The Mechanic outfit is another nod toclassic NES games,as Mario has worn similar outfits in several promotions, including art for3D Hot Rallyagain.
It’s a clean, white jumpsuit, with Mario sporting a backwards hat, as if he’s ready to get to work.Some grease stains or a wrench popping out of his clothing could have made the costume better, but it’s still a good one inMario Kart World,regardless.
4Cowboy
Get Along, Little Mario
TheCowboyoutfit can be obtained by grabbing a tasty snack when players enter the Boo Cinema course, a new addition to the series. This outfit could be a nod toMario Party 2’scover on the N64. It’s not an exact copy, but Mario does look like a typical cowboy who is ready to lasso some cows or to have a gun battle at high noon.
The back of his jacket has a Super Star on it, and he wears a Super Star badge on his front, making Mario look like he’s ready to wrangle some cattle after he wins his next race.
3Dune Rider
Flying High
TheDune Rideroutfit can dress Mario up like he should be flying a plane, and it’s unlocked by eating in the Dino Dino Jungle.This is another new course in the game, whichappears to be heavily inspiredbyJurassic Park,but one that is less intimidating,without man-eating dinosaurs.
The Dune Rider is a sporty one, as if Mario intended to dress up like Amelia Earhart. There is another specific plane-centric outfit called Aviator, but it’s a bit too plain compared to the charm that Mario exudes while wearing Dune Rider. Either way, it makes sense to make a costume like this since karts inMario Kart Worldcan transform to have wings.
2Happi
A Nod To Japanese Traditions
TheHappioutfit can be found by picking up food in Cheep Cheep Falls, which is new toMario Kart Worldand one of the coolest-looking courses in the game.The Happi outfit has been worn by Mario before, and it’s a nod to traditional jackets and clothing that Japanese people wear during festivals.
Anime fans will have assuredly seen similar getups before, during festival scenes, and especially if characters were banging on giant Taiko drums. Getting back toMario Kart World, this traditional garb is given a bit of Nintendo flair, as Mario has a Cheap Cheap on the back, which is a classicMarioseries enemy.
1Sightseeing
Mario’s Day Off
TheSightseeingoutfit will be rewarded if players eat food in DK Spaceport, which is one of the best new tracks in the game and is a callback to Mario’s first appearance in any video game as Jump Man inDonkey Kong. He’s come a long way since the arcade days, and this outfit reflects Mario having a nice beach day to get away from all of his adventuring.
With his backwards hat, sunglasses, sandals, and open shirt, Mario says he is ready to relax. TheShine Sprites on his shirt are a nice nod toSuper Mario Sunshine. Also, this outfit can come across as Mario trying too hard to blend in with the youth similar to Steve Buscemi’s character on30 Rockwith his infamous “How do you do, fellow kids?" line. Overall, this is a terrific fashion choice for the jump-happy plumber.
